The Rear Wheels Will Not Turn on My Honda Lawn Mower

Mower wheels that won't turn make it impossible to maintain your lawn.

When the rear wheels on your Honda lawn mower are out of commission, the grass is free to grow to the rafters until you take charge of the situation. Whether the components that allow the rear wheels of your mower to turn freely have become damaged from an accidental mower mishap or ceased turning due to normal wear and tear, it's crucial that you investigate further to determine the source of the problem.

Axle Anxieties

If you've run over a hard object, like a brick or sizable rock in the yard, it's possible you may have damaged the axle to which the rear mower wheels are attached. If the axle has been damaged significantly to the point of bending or breaking, it may no longer turn and hold the wheels fast so they're stuck in place. Purchase a replacement axle and repair it yourself to fix the problem.

Drive Belt Dilemmas

A common culprit when the rear wheels of the Honda mower won't turn is a faulty or broken drive belt. A working drive belt is necessary to turn the wheels on a self-propelled mower. A worn, frayed or broken belt won't function properly and the rear wheels will refuse to turn. Drive belt replacement requires the removal and re-installation of several parts on the underside of the mower. With the proper instructions, however, the majority of homeowners can replace the drive belt themselves. If axle replacement is a bigger job than you'd rather tackle, take the mower to an authorized Honda service shop.

Traction Control Troubles

When the Honda mower's traction control cable breaks, the rear wheels will stop turning. To replace the cable, which runs down the left-hand side of the mower, remove the Z-pin that fits into the control arm of the mower. Remove the brackets that attach the cable to the handle of the mower. On the underside of the mower, remove the belt cover and disconnect the traction control cable from the bracket to which it's attached. Attach the new traction control cable to the bracket, replace the belt cover, thread the cable through the brackets and insert the Z-pin into the mower's control arm.

Wheel Gear Woes

The gears that turn the wheels of the Honda mower are finely calibrated to interact with each other to allow the transmission to power the wheels effectively. If one of the teeth on the gears breaks or cracks, or if there is extensive wear on all the gears, the wheels will come to a grinding halt. Instead of simply replacing a gear, it's necessary to replace the entire wheel assembly to get the rear wheels turning.